A traffic stop on the South Side this morning led to the arrest of a Pittsburgh Steeler who is accused of trying to flee police. Several vehicles were damaged, according to an emergency dispatch supervisor.

Facing a series of felony and misdemeanor charges is rookie defensive lineman Alameda Ta'amu, who was a fourth-round draft pick this year. He is 22 and is from Kent, Wash.

The dispatch supervisor said a stop was initiated by police at about 2:30 a.m. today on 14th Street after a vehicle was spotted moving in a reckless manner. Mr. Ta'amu fled and was apprehended at Sarah Street, but not before he had crashed his vehicle into several others, the dispatcher said.

According to court documents, Mr. Ta'amu is facing felony counts of fleeing police, aggravated assault while driving drunk and three counts of aggravated assault. He also was charged with 10 misdemeanors, including resisting arrest, attempting escape, drunken driving and to failure to obey traffic laws.

uh-oh..........
This could spell his career for the Steelers. Was very promising. The front office doesn't put up with this stuff.

This team is spiraling completely out of control. Tomlin needs to turn into a mean, nasty, no-good-SOB very, very quickly and restore order once and for all.
Ta'amu, even as a rookie, should know better.

fujirama24

10-14-2012, 09:27 AM

He's done not only is he facing jail time he will probable be released. Major shame here for the steelers. If they opt ot release him they can probable get out of his contract also.

stb_steeler

10-14-2012, 09:29 AM

What?......is he related to Ernie Holmes of the 70's....:doh:

TRH

10-14-2012, 09:29 AM

He's done not only is he facing jail time he will probable be released. Major shame here for the steelers. If they opt ot release him they can probable get out of his contract also.

yep. He's almost certain to be released. They are going to send a STRONG message.

TRH

10-14-2012, 09:35 AM

wow....i would have loved to been a "fly on the wall" when Tomlin got this call this morning.....

There was probably an explosion coming from the Tomlin address. Man, he must be P***ED.

maddog78

10-14-2012, 09:43 AM

Awesome. What a disastrous year for this draft class. DD on IR, Spence on IR, Adams a sieve who needs lots of work, Rainey still finding himself, Ta'amu in jail.

Fire Haley

10-14-2012, 09:49 AM

He probably isn't getting enough love, he should be promoted to 1st team >>> TRUE FANS

Fire Haley

10-14-2012, 10:08 AM

full report

Steelers player arrested after overnight police chase on the South Side

PITTSBURGH —
A Steelers player landed in the Allegheny County Jail early Sunday morning after a wild ride that included crashes into parked cars and a run from police on the South Side.

Channel 11 News obtained the criminal complaint against Alameda Ta’amu, a fourth-round draft pick from the University of Washington. The rookie nose tackle has been inactive for each of the Steelers' five regular season games.

The criminal complaint says police spotted a 2006 Lincoln Navigator going the wrong way on Fort Pitt Boulevard early Sunday morning, when the driver then crossed the Smithfield Street bridge and ran a red light as he turned onto East Carson Street. Police say the driver then crossed into opposing traffic, driving on the wrong side of the street for seven blocks, to pass several cars at a time on East Carson Street.

Officers issued an alert for the SUV. One officer dressed in full uniform yelled, “Police! Stop the vehicle.” That officer then said the driver, later identified as Ta’amu, swerved toward him and nearly ran him over. Two other officers also spotted the car. They drew both of their guns as the Navigator came at them, but neither of them fired “due to the large number of pedestrians and motorists on the sidewalks and roadway.”

Police say Ta’amu took a sharp turn off of East Carson Street and onto South 14th Street. There, he allegedly hit four cars as police chased him. One woman in one of those cars was hurt. As of Sunday morning, she was listed in good condition at UPMC Mercy.

The chase took another turn when police say Ta'amu hit a fifth car, totaling both vehicles. Police rantoward him, and officers say Ta'amu than sprinted away from the car. He took off his blue shirt to avoid being recognized. When police caught up to him, they told him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back. One officer was concerned that Ta’amu was reaching for his waistband, so he punched him in the face. Police got Ta’amu, who refused medical treatment, into handcuffs and took him to jail.

Arresting officers say Ta’amu’s breath smelled like alcohol, his speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot. Police say Ta'amu agreed to take a blood alcohol test, and he registered a blood alcohol content of .196 percent. That's more than twice the legal limit.

lucky for him he was not shot. driving cars at people should be attempted murder charges.

I'd like to see the cop who punched him in the face.

SteelerJay

10-14-2012, 11:05 AM

at least he's not a wuss like the rest of the defensive line

but he should not be driving drunk, dumb dumb...but a young guy at 22 can make mistakes

teegre

10-14-2012, 11:09 AM

Daaaaaamnit!!! I really had high hopes for this kid. And, not just me, NFL Network called him the steal of the draft.

Looks like Star Lotulelei or Jonathan Hankins just surpassed any SS on our "to draft" list.

Atlanta Dan

10-14-2012, 11:10 AM

at least he's not a wuss like the rest of the defensive line

but he should not be driving drunk, dumb dumb...but a young guy at 22 can make mistakes

This is not exactly a mistake like forgetting to pay the water bill - some mistakes are built to last

As stated above, he is lucky he did not kill someone or that the police did not kill him

steelfan23

10-14-2012, 11:22 AM

Awesome. What a disastrous year for this draft class. DD on IR, Spence on IR, Adams a sieve who needs lots of work, Rainey still finding himself, Ta'amu in jail.

Man you said it. All I am hopeful for is that DeCastro, Adams, and company can all get healthy, get reps, and be ready to make some noise next season. Maybe it'll be like having two drafts next year lol. If I am the F.O. I release this chump immediately. No excuse whatsoever. What a shame these young kids waste these opportunities given to them after years of hard work. I have Zero tolerance for this crap.

jjpro11

10-14-2012, 11:28 AM

at least he's not a wuss like the rest of the defensive line

but he should not be driving drunk, dumb dumb...but a young guy at 22 can make mistakes

That's not an average 22 year old kind of mistake.. Those are full blown asshole/criminal actions. Once he is cut and out of the league, the arrests will probably become routine because its just the kind of person he apparently is.

TRH

10-14-2012, 12:07 PM

yep. This isn't just a regular "DUI" such as Justin Blackmon's down in Jax. This one's much more serious.

Drunk driving. Running from the cops. Crashing into multiple vehicles.

He's GONE. Anybody want to start guessing which day he gets released? Terrible news though....i had really, really high hopes for a long-term future here that could have included stardom...he had that much potential.

steelfury02

10-14-2012, 12:15 PM

as if things aren't hard enough for Steeler Nation - what a complete a-hole.

This only compounds the frustrations.

TRH

10-14-2012, 12:21 PM

oh, man. I just re-read the report....he's also got the aggravated assault charges against police officers and the woman suffered "serious bodily injury". Ouch. Thats big time.
Wouldn't surprise me to see the release on Monday, if not today.

AgentGold007

10-14-2012, 12:23 PM

And the nightmare season keeps going and going and going...

cubanstogie

10-14-2012, 01:09 PM

DONE in Pittsburgh. Hello Oakland , Philly or Baltimore.

TRH

10-14-2012, 01:12 PM

DONE in Pittsburgh. Hello Oakland , Philly or Baltimore.

:sofunny:

I couldn't see Baltimore touching him, but i could see Oakland in a year or two. But the reality is, that this one is SO bad, this is likely an NFL-career-killer in completion.

tanda10506

10-14-2012, 01:15 PM

lucky for him he was not shot. driving cars at people should be attempted murder charges.

I'd like to see the cop who punched him in the face.

You can't see him, his balls are so big that you can't see around them :chuckle:

Hawaii 5-0

10-14-2012, 01:22 PM

this is obviously Dick LeBeau's fault...

Atlanta Dan

10-14-2012, 01:26 PM

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert released this statement: “We are disappointed to hear about the situation regarding Alameda Ta’amu. We will gather more facts before providing any further comment.”...

About 1 a.m. Sunday, he posted on his Twitter (@medataamu74) account: “Let my love adorn you.” At 2 a.m., he posted a single word: “Weak.”

but he should not be driving drunk, dumb dumb...but a young guy at 22 can make mistakes

Mistakes??? A mistake is a DUI, or side swiping a car and running is a mistake...trying to kill cops with your car and injuring other people in the process, that's f***** stupid. At 18 I could have been picked up for under age drinking and DUI 5 nights of the week, and sure I could see how a drunk guy could talk himself into running with a bad ass V8 under the hood, but trying to run people over is a total different thing. He's got prison time coming up, the justice system bands together real well when you try to hurt/kill one of their own.

So after having what some people were calling one of the top drafts of any team of any time, we now have one player left from it that can help us this year, Rainey. Next year, if we're lucky, we'll have 3 (Spence, Rainey, DD). And that's assuming that those 3 pan out, I think they will, but the jury is still out since Rainey doesn't see the field much and Spence and DD are hurt. I don't see Adams helping us any time soon, he looked scared against Tennessee of all teams, and Steeler fans were 50% of the crowd. I would say we are on a downward spiral, but we're dropping to fast to be spiraling around.

Hawaii 5-0

10-14-2012, 01:28 PM

Perhaps Ta'amu should not drink and tweet

not drinking and driving would be another suggestion...

PhantomJB93

10-14-2012, 01:34 PM

I hope Mclendon gets a crapload of playing time the rest of the year, I'd hope we give him a real shot to see if he's our guy before changing our draft plans because of this and taking another NT high

steelers33

10-14-2012, 01:45 PM

DONE in Pittsburgh. Hello Oakland , Philly or Baltimore.

No, he's going to Cincy.

steelers33

10-14-2012, 01:53 PM

All in all though, he's an idiot that will be released in a week. And don't get too exited about his future, the kid was always an underachiever and he struggled in training camp. Maybe he becomes a decent player, but I doubt it because he doesn't take his profession seriously. Disappointing.

Curtain_of_Steel

10-14-2012, 02:05 PM

Come on, how does a 400 pound man flee the police?lol

So much for him, now we blew a 4th? Maybe the raiders will do a trade for a #2?lol. In 5 to 7 years of course, lol

Steel_Bus_24

10-14-2012, 02:51 PM

wow and I thought this football weekend couldn't get worse......

The steelers FO have steered us right into the ice berg

we've had way too many busts or unproductive drafts recently.....

mikegrimey

10-14-2012, 02:59 PM

wow and I thought this football weekend couldn't get worse......

The steelers FO have steered us right into the ice berg

we've had way too many busts or unproductive drafts recently.....

The draft is always somewhat of a crap shoot, but you can't blame the front office for this incident...there's no foolproof way to tell your 4th round pick won't commit a serious felony during his rookie year

tony hipchest

10-14-2012, 03:21 PM

Taking off the blue shirt was guaranteed to make the escape plan work

:sofunny: fool proof plan!

i can hear the APB right now-

'We are looking for a 400 lb Polynesian in a blue shirt, on foot, running and stumbling. Check that.... We are looking for a 399 lb Polynesian in a white tank top undershirt, on foot, running and stumbling.

a dollar to donuts he was partying with marcus gilbert and wes saunders.

LVSteelersfan

10-14-2012, 03:52 PM

Crap. This is suspension time from Goodell, jail time and a release from the Steelers. Certainly much worse than your normal DUI. What a moron. You can't outrun the cops. Period. Aint gonna happen with all the cameras they have everywhere these days. I am sure they must have had his plate number as well.

TRH

10-14-2012, 04:34 PM

wow and I thought this football weekend couldn't get worse......

The steelers FO have steered us right into the ice berg

we've had way too many busts or unproductive drafts recently.....

i hear ya, but ya can't blame the front office on this one. I can't imagine they would have thought that he would have went out and got insanely drunk, ran from cops, hit cars, injured a woman, and then resisted arrest.
Now, if they keep him (which they won't), then........................

Fire Arians

10-14-2012, 04:42 PM

what a ****in bum. we shoulda drafted mike martin instead. the rooneys will not let this slide and he's about as good as gone now, this is way worse than what smoketonio and bam morris did and they were shipped out almost instantly

now we get to spend another draft pick on our NT of the future, who will not start in 3 years (especially if lebeau is still the DC)

TRH

10-14-2012, 04:44 PM

what a ****in bum. we shoulda drafted mike martin instead

Yeah, its UNbelievably frustrating watching DeCastro injured, Spence injured, Adams struggling, and this fool thats going to get jail time.
Meanwhile there are numerous rookies taken in rounds 1-5 making impacts, big impacts, all over the league. Very, very, very frustrating.

Fire Arians

10-14-2012, 04:47 PM

Yeah, its UNbelievably frustrating watching DeCastro injured, Spence injured, Adams struggling, and this fool thats going to get jail time.
Meanwhile there are numerous rookies taken in rounds 1-5 making impacts, big impacts, all over the league. Very, very, very frustrating.

injuries are one thing, but doing what this kid did is just plain stupid. he won't be a steeler for long, but he has a good future in Cincy

steelerchad

10-14-2012, 05:46 PM

Come on, how does a 400 pound man flee the police?lol

So much for him, now we blew a 4th? Maybe the raiders will do a trade for a #2?lol. In 5 to 7 years of course, lol

we blew a 4th round pick and the pick that we traded to move up to get him in the 4th.

TRH

10-14-2012, 05:48 PM

we blew a 4th round pick and the pick that we traded to move up to get him in the 4th.

we sure did. Although we would have never known better at the time. When the draft ended, i actually thought he was the steal of our entire draft. Guess not.............

mikegrimey

10-14-2012, 06:20 PM

we blew a 4th round pick and the pick that we traded to move up to get him in the 4th.

Too bad the front office didn't have access to the psychic powers some people in this thread must have...if you could tell the future drafting the right players would be a lot easier.

SC7

10-14-2012, 07:14 PM

It seems as if everything is going against us this season. The awful injuries and now this.

Not liking this at all. :pissed:

Steel_Bus_24

10-14-2012, 07:42 PM

Too bad the front office didn't have access to the psychic powers some people in this thread must have...if you could tell the future drafting the right players would be a lot easier.

whatever....doesn't change the fact that our Depth and Long Term ability to compete has been put into jeopardy by these recent unproductive drafts

mikegrimey

10-14-2012, 07:53 PM

whatever....doesn't change the fact that our Depth and Long Term ability to compete has been put into jeopardy by these recent unproductive drafts

I don't think it's been that bad, we've gotten some good players in drafts, Wallace and brown certainly stand out. The draft is a crap shoot anyway, especially the mid to late rounds. What does stand out is hood and hey ward not picking up the mantle of smith or keisel, they're not very impressive as first rounders. My point is being a Capt Hindsight and pointing out we should have drafted soandso instead of who we did is silly. Any idiot can deduce Taamu was a busted pick NOW.

Atlanta Dan

10-14-2012, 07:54 PM

It seems as if everything is going against us this season. The awful injuries and now this.

Not liking this at all. :pissed:

Agree it sucks, but don't look for a lot of sympathy from most of the league for fans of a team that has won 2 Super Bowls and played in 3 over the last 7 seasons

The response of my cousin (who grew up in Cleveland and lives in Seattle) on Thursday night as I was texting about the season being shot was "poor you - try being a Browns or Seahawks fan" :chuckle:

Of course he is ecstatic after the Seahawks beat the Pats, which illustrates the league's goal of parity

Bad luck evens out - Ravens fans were thrilled after escaping with a win over Dallas and now hear Webb and Lewis may have serious injuries

AndyWitmyer

10-14-2012, 09:03 PM

Sad and pathetic. Those are the only two words that come to mind. Oh, and maybe...seeya!

Off weekends can be trouble in the NFL. Without a game to play on Sunday, the Steelers' Alameda Ta'amu, a rookie defensive lineman, got himself into a whole mess of trouble with Pittsburgh police early Sunday morning.

Ta'amu began the public-relations nightmare by driving a 2006 Lincoln Navigator the wrong way down a street on Pittsburgh's South Side at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. From there, it was a cascade of illegality:

• He was observed swerving into other lanes, passing multiple vehicles, running red lights and speeding in a pedestrian-heavy zone.

• He then refused several orders from police to stop the car and get out of the vehicle, apparently even driving his SUV straight at a couple of the officers and forcing them to dive out of the way. The officers drew their guns, but did not fire, according to the criminal complaint, "due to the large number of pedestrians and motorists on the sidewalks and roadway."

• He slammed into a parked vehicle, injuring the driver, who was still in the vehicle.

• He kept going, finally hitting several other cars so hard that he disabled his own SUV.

• He got out of the car, took off his shirt, and began to run from police.

• He was finally subdued in a parking lot --at 6-foot-3, 348 pounds, he required multiple officers -- and handcuffed when he resisted arrest.

• His blood-alcohol content was found to be .196 percent, more than twice Pennsylvania's legal limit of .08 percent.

Yeah, that ... that's not so good. Any one of those would be worthy of a harsh punishment from the league. Together? Put it this way: Ta'amu hasn't yet played this season, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. He was arrested on 15 counts and will face a preliminary hearing on Oct. 23.

''We are disappointed to hear about the situation regarding Alameda Ta'amu,''

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said in a press release. ''We will gather more facts before providing any further comment.'' Seems a wise idea.

I'm sure Ta'amu taking his shirt off really helped. As if it wasn't hard enough to find a 350-pounder fully clothed ...

Darthslayrr

10-15-2012, 04:39 AM

Mc Clendon's stock just skyrocketed. Sounds like practice squad time.

steeltheone

10-15-2012, 05:17 AM

I don't think it's been that bad, we've gotten some good players in drafts, Wallace and brown certainly stand out. The draft is a crap shoot anyway, especially the mid to late rounds. What does stand out is hood and hey ward not picking up the mantle of smith or keisel, they're not very impressive as first rounders. My point is being a Capt Hindsight and pointing out we should have drafted soandso instead of who we did is silly. Any idiot can deduce Taamu was a busted pick NOW. Everybody likes to point at Wallace, Brown...Wallace, Brown when looking for success in our drafts...Yes they were good picks, but receivers are the easiest slot to fill when you have a gunslinger QB.

On the other side of the spectrum, Hood and Heyward are not superstars, but the supporting cast of linebackers and the NT are not near as good as in previous years. Hood did just fine a few years back with a better players around him.

Atlanta Dan

10-15-2012, 07:12 AM

Stat of the day from Ed.B. of the P-G

Alamada Ta’amu hit twice as many cars with his Navigator early Sunday morning as the Steelers have interceptions this season, 4-2.

uh-oh..........
This could spell his career for the Steelers. Was very promising. The front office doesn't put up with this stuff.

This team is spiraling completely out of control. Tomlin needs to turn into a mean, nasty, no-good-SOB very, very quickly and restore order once and for all.
Ta'amu, even as a rookie, should know better.

I completely agree! Tomlin's Demeanor on the Sideline is disgusting!!!! I'm sick of seeing this guy portray a giddy looking attitude during the game, then when the team loses, he goes N2 his press conference looking like he's upset. WTF Tomlin!!! Show some damm attitude when ur players are screwing up on the field. Now, with that said, it's not Tomlin's fault this idiot screwed up, but it clearly indicates that this 2012 Team has no discipline at all; clearly indicates to me that the players are too close to this guy. This idiot will be released, it's just a matter of time, I promise you. I hope Mr. Rooney is giving Tomlin an ear full as well. This guy had a reputation for being too soft at times, not always bringing it on each and every play. Thus far, this team sucks!

Steel95

10-15-2012, 07:53 AM

I don't think it's been that bad, we've gotten some good players in drafts, Wallace and brown certainly stand out. The draft is a crap shoot anyway, especially the mid to late rounds. What does stand out is hood and hey ward not picking up the mantle of smith or keisel, they're not very impressive as first rounders. My point is being a Capt Hindsight and pointing out we should have drafted soandso instead of who we did is silly. Any idiot can deduce Taamu was a busted pick NOW.

I disagree; it has much more than just crapping out. Take a look at the Steelers last 10 drafts; take a look at the DB's / Safeties / DL / and WR's. The Steelers haven't done a great job selecting players in rounds 2 - 4. Now granted, you are never 100% for sure, but I've seen far too many other players drafted in those rounds that have done a far better job than the players drafted by Colbert/Cowher, and now Tomlin. This team is going down; we will see a mediocre team for the next couple of years as they attempt to fix this mess. Think about it; there is a reason the 4th round draft pick went in the 4th round; Adams? I'm not sold on this kid; Gilbert? Did well in 2011, but he too entered the league as being tsoft at times, taking plays off. I hope they stay away from the University of Florida in the future. Do the math, go back and look at the players drafted from that University, very few produce in the NFL. :banging: :doh:

Steelers>NFL

10-15-2012, 07:57 AM

Bet everyone is just glad it was not Big Ben in the news again!

Steelerfreak58

10-15-2012, 09:14 AM

Dumbass.

Steel Peon

10-15-2012, 11:48 AM

Bet everyone is just glad it was not Big Ben in the news again!

:rofl:

Riddle_Of_Steel

10-15-2012, 12:53 PM

I want him gone by this Sunday.

That was stupid and there is NO EXCUSE for that kinds of crap. Everybody did stupid stuff as twnety-something year olds, but that was just plain criminal and a huge danger to everyone else around him.

He is going to be serving some lengthy jail time-- and well deserved. Another gangsta bites the dust....hey at least he'll have "street creds" after he turns Muslim and gets out of jail.

steeltheone

10-15-2012, 01:44 PM

I want him gone by this Sunday.

That was stupid and there is NO EXCUSE for that kinds of crap. Everybody did stupid stuff as twnety-something year olds, but that was just plain criminal and a huge danger to everyone else around him.

He is going to be serving some lengthy jail time-- and well deserved. Another gangsta bites the dust....hey at least he'll have "street creds" after he turns Muslim and gets out of jail.
I have to agree... He went way beyond a youthful mistake.

Fire Arians

10-15-2012, 01:52 PM

i did some stupid things in my 20's, but nothing that would get me busted for a felony. that was my teenage years lol

pancake

10-15-2012, 03:26 PM

injuries are one thing, but doing what this kid did is just plain stupid. he won't be a steeler for long, but he has a good future in Cincy

Cincy's FO has probably put his agent on speed dial and are just waiting for the release.

Steel Peon

10-15-2012, 06:06 PM

Cincy's FO has probably put his agent on speed dial and are just waiting for the release.
At least this thread is friggin' hilarious.:toofunny:

Hawaii 5-0

10-15-2012, 06:31 PM

i did some stupid things in my 20's, but nothing that would get me busted for a felony. that was my teenage years lol

yeah, I tried my best to stick to misdemeanors also...:drink:

teegre

10-15-2012, 06:39 PM

yeah, I tried my best to stick to misdemeanors also...:drink:

Considering some of our ages and/or physiques... well... just like with Ta'amu, taking off our shirts is the misdemeanor. :wink02:

Steelers nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu during mini camp on the South Side June 2012.

Alameda Ta’amu was at the Steelers’ practice facility Monday and apologized to teammates, but the organization remains mum on what punishment the rookie defensive lineman faces in the wake of multiple felony charges following an early-morning police chase over the weekend.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin informed the team about Ta’amu’s arrest during a morning meeting, and according to some of his teammates, the 350-pound nose tackle apologized to his fellow defensive linemen during position meetings early Monday.

“I talked to him, and he was remorseful,” Casey Hampton said. “He feels really bad about it. He knows what happened was a bad thing. He made a mistake, and that’s the way I look at it, not taking away what he did because it was a terrible thing. We have to ride with him and see what happens.”

Ta’amu, 22, was driving a sport utility vehicle that hit several cars on 14th Street on the South Side and was arrested about 2:30 a.m. Sunday after a chase and scuffle in which an officer punched him twice, according to Zone 3 police.

According to the police report, Ta’amu faces felony charges of fleeing police, aggravated assault while driving drunk and three counts of aggravated assault for nearly running down three police officers.

Ta’amu also was charged with 10 misdemeanors, including resisting arrest, attempting escape, drunken driving and failure to obey traffic laws. His blood alcohol level was 0.196 percent, more than twice the legal limit, police said. Ta’amu posted $25,000 bail and was released Sunday.

“It is a serious situation. It is a dangerous situation,” safety Ryan Clark said. “You are just happy that he didn’t injure anybody or himself.”

The organization said it has no further comment regarding Ta’amu’s situation.

While his teammates said that they will continue to support Ta’amu, they also understand the severity of his actions.

“It is a very serious situation, and that’s how we are viewing it,” defensive captain Brett Keisel said. “Matters like these are touchy. I am glad I don’t have to make those decisions because they are very serious. They have a tough call to make.”

Ta’amu was the Steelers’ fourth-round pick this year out of the University of Washington. He is of Samoan descent, and his father is a retired pastor. Ta’amu made a connection with fellow Samoan Troy Polamalu.

Ta’amu, Polamalu and Clark bonded during training camp, and they routinely ate together and went to see movies.

Clark said he reached out to Ta’amu in a “nonjudgmental kind of way” Sunday, but refused to reveal details of the conversation.

“You don’t ‘Amen’ this as in it is OK to do, but you don’t throw him away,” Clark said. “You don’t exile him from the team, you don’t stop talking to him, you don’t stop being his friend because if you are family, you don’t do that. I want to help him through this and help him be part of the Pittsburgh Steelers and, if that’s possible, when he’s back, he is going to be the same brother before this happened.”

Fellow nose tackle Steve McLendon said he was surprised to hear of Ta’amu’s involvement in the incident. Ta’amu is widely regarded by his teammates as a down-to-earth family man with a pleasant demeanor.

“He has to be held accountable,” offensive tackle Max Starks said. “Something like this can happen to any of us. I am sure everybody has had the decision if you are OK (to drive or not).”

The Steelers refused to label Ta’amu’s arrest as a possible distraction.

“He has to be held accountable,” offensive tackle Max Starks said. “Something like this can happen to any of us. I am sure everybody has had the decision if you are OK (to drive or not).” Um, Max ...wake up!

maddog78

10-16-2012, 06:48 AM

Can people stop calling this a "mistake"? I heard Ryan Clark say that word about ten times in an interview. Taking a wrong turn is a mistake. Forgetting your cell phone is a mistake.

He drank the booze, he got behind the wheel. Those are choices.

steelfury02

10-16-2012, 08:39 AM

Steelers aren't above being knuckleheads - and that is putting it kindly. I love the Steelers, and enjoy watching the players, but what I would be able to do with some of that dough they are making! I'll even take six figures - imagine pooping away this kind of opportunity - ugh

jjpro11

10-16-2012, 10:25 AM

Can people stop calling this a "mistake"? I heard Ryan Clark say that word about ten times in an interview. Taking a wrong turn is a mistake. Forgetting your cell phone is a mistake.

He drank the booze, he got behind the wheel. Those are choices.

NFL players can't do any wrong, they simply make mistakes.. Vick killed dogs for years, but it was all just one big mistake. A player gets caught taking steroids after years of using, and it's simply a mistake.

El-Gonzo Jackson

10-16-2012, 10:27 AM

Can people stop calling this a "mistake"? I heard Ryan Clark say that word about ten times in an interview. Taking a wrong turn is a mistake. Forgetting your cell phone is a mistake.

He drank the booze, he got behind the wheel. Those are choices.

yes, those are choices and bad choices. Some people in their early 20's make bad choices and I think what Clark is saying is that he isnt turning his back on a teamate for such a mistake in judgement.

The hypocrisy of this thread and postings is hilarious. Fraternizing with college girls in a Milledgeville GA bathroom while associates block the entrance could be viewed as a "mistake in judgement". The franchise QB is defended, while the backup NT is villified. :coffee:

Atlanta Dan

10-16-2012, 11:43 AM

This is all Tomlin's fault - he apparently was so upset about the Tennessee loss he forgot to remind everyone not to commit multiple felonies over the long weekend

Linebacker Larry Foote said this morning that Mike Tomlin did not give his normal speech warning his players not to get into trouble since they had the weekend off. He gave them a speech Friday back in Pittsburgh after the Thursday night game, but he did not tell them not to get into trouble as he normally does. Less than two days later, Alameda Ta’amu got into a heap of legal trouble on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Speaking on his regular Tuesday morning slot on FM radio’s 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Foote said Tomlin always warns his players before a long weekend or bye week:
“Not to throw more gasoline on the situation but that’s Mike Tomlin’s number 1 speech – don’t be the guy, especially with days off.”

But he said Tomlin was “a little more upset” on Friday because of Thursday night’s loss and may have forgotten to give his normal warning.

“Friday wasn’t a happy sendoff meeting or speech, but he didn’t drill into our head as” he nornally does, Foote said. “All through training camp and before our bye week or when we have a couple days off, he always says Don’t be that guy, don’t be down in Miami getting Tasered by the police.’ He always gives us numbers if you’re drinking to call this person, they’ll pick you up. He’s firm about that.’’

yes, those are choices and bad choices. Some people in their early 20's make bad choices and I think what Clark is saying is that he isnt turning his back on a teamate for such a mistake in judgement.

The hypocrisy of this thread and postings is hilarious. Fraternizing with college girls in a Milledgeville GA bathroom while associates block the entrance could be viewed as a "mistake in judgement". The franchise QB is defended, while the backup NT is villified. :coffee:

I for one was not defending Roethlisberger's conduct in 2010 - the question is what were the appropriate consequences

FWIW there is nothing hypocritical about it - more valuable employees get cut more slack in virtually any organization, especially when the more valauable one is only accused of criminla conduct and the other is formally charged with it - committing felonies is more than a "bad choice" - if the DA would have charged Roethlisberger IMO Ben would have been released

And "bad choice" may not be the most accurate term to describe driving your vehicle in the direction of a police officer

:drink::wink02:

Steelers>NFL

10-16-2012, 12:11 PM

This is all Tomlin's fault - he apparently was so upset about the Tennessee loss he forgot to remind everyone not to commit multiple felonies over the long weekend

Linebacker Larry Foote said this morning that Mike Tomlin did not give his normal speech warning his players not to get into trouble since they had the weekend off. He gave them a speech Friday back in Pittsburgh after the Thursday night game, but he did not tell them not to get into trouble as he normally does. Less than two days later, Alameda Ta’amu got into a heap of legal trouble on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Speaking on his regular Tuesday morning slot on FM radio’s 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Foote said Tomlin always warns his players before a long weekend or bye week:
“Not to throw more gasoline on the situation but that’s Mike Tomlin’s number 1 speech – don’t be the guy, especially with days off.”

But he said Tomlin was “a little more upset” on Friday because of Thursday night’s loss and may have forgotten to give his normal warning.

“Friday wasn’t a happy sendoff meeting or speech, but he didn’t drill into our head as” he nornally does, Foote said. “All through training camp and before our bye week or when we have a couple days off, he always says Don’t be that guy, don’t be down in Miami getting Tasered by the police.’ He always gives us numbers if you’re drinking to call this person, they’ll pick you up. He’s firm about that.’’

Now THIS makes me chuckle... :chuckle: To think that these grown men need to be told every single week, "not to be the one to be tasered in Miami"... So it is Tomlin's fault? WTF is this world coming to? Quit making excused...

steelfury02

10-16-2012, 12:20 PM

not to throw more gasoline onto the fire? Why would a person with normal brain function even bring that up? We all just assume, you being and I quote from you directly Mr. Foote "grown men" that you wouldn't need to be told not to be asshats

"Ger gosh, coach no tella me to not do dis so muss be ok 'cceptable a durrrr . . ."

Darkstorm05

10-16-2012, 12:33 PM

I'm not sure "Grown Men" applies here. We're talking someone who went from HS to College to the NFL, and had no need of real world jobs or responsibilities. Just sports. At age 22, where would he get the real world day to day experience to be a "Gown Man" and take responsibility when he's essentially been living a fantasy life?

Atlanta Dan

10-16-2012, 01:06 PM

Another rim shot from Ed. B. of the P-G

We have not seen much from Ta'amu at all this year. Combine this with the DUI stuff and he has to be walking on thin ice with the organization correct?

Ed Bouchette:
Yes, he is walking on thin ice and for a man who weighs what he does, that is extra dangerous.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/chats/ed-bouchettes-chat

Fire Haley

10-16-2012, 02:18 PM

Looks like he's stayin'

"Due to his actions this past weekend we are going to be suspending him for two weeks -- over next two weeks, our next two games. This suspension is without pay. He will not participate in any organized team activities. He won't be in meetings. He won't be on the practice field and obviously, he won't be in our facility. We deem his actions a detriment to our efforts and we are treating it as such," Tomlin said.

The two weeks takes him up to his arraignment

I guess we'll know more then, stay tuned

Riddle_Of_Steel

10-16-2012, 02:57 PM

I think it is a given, Ta'amu is gone.

Sure, he has only been suspended for 2 weeks, but if he has 10 midemeanors and 5 felonies being assessed against him-- he is gonna be doing some hard time.

Darkstorm05

10-16-2012, 03:04 PM

I think it is a given, Ta'amu is gone.

Sure, he has only been suspended for 2 weeks, but if he has 10 midemeanors and 5 felonies being assessed against him-- he is gonna be doing some hard time.

That's every third weekend for Lindsay Lohan, and she's still roaming free.

Atlanta Dan

10-16-2012, 03:09 PM

I think it is a given, Ta'amu is gone.

Sure, he has only been suspended for 2 weeks, but if he has 10 midemeanors and 5 felonies being assessed against him-- he is gonna be doing some hard time.

He could serve a 6 month sentence in the offseason - assuming the woman who banged her head is not seriously injured he might not get a stiff sentence - he needs to play the rehab card

His mediocre performance is as likely a reason to end his time in Pittsburgh as the reckless criminal conduct

teegre

10-16-2012, 03:23 PM

Now THIS makes me chuckle... :chuckle: To think that these grown men need to be told every single week, "not to be the one to be tasered in Miami"... So it is Tomlin's fault? WTF is this world coming to? Quit making excused...

Hey... calm down!!! It is obviously Tomlin's fault.

Tomlin did not tell OJ to stay away from knife stores.

Tomlin forgot to tell BB & Kobe to avoid room service.

Tomlin left the window open in JonBenet's bedroom.

Tomlin once played wall ball with Osama bin Laden.

Need it go on...???

kenanderson

10-18-2012, 02:35 AM

There are a lot of car accidents because of drunk driving. States are cracking down on drunk driving. Pittsburgh Steeler, Alameda Ta’amu was arrested on numerous charges Sunday following a DUI incident (http://www.quicksr22insurance.com/) in which he sped in and out of lanes on the wrong side of the street, hit a driver in her parked car, and hit seven other cars while leading police on a chase that ended with him resisting arrest before being taken into custody.

Bayz101

10-18-2012, 02:48 AM

There are a lot of car accidents because of drunk driving. States are cracking down on drunk driving. Pittsburgh Steeler, Alameda Ta’amu was arrested on numerous charges Sunday following a DUI incident (http://www.quicksr22insurance.com/) in which he sped in and out of lanes on the wrong side of the street, hit a driver in her parked car, and hit seven other cars while leading police on a chase that ended with him resisting arrest before being taken into custody.

Very clever. Advertising insurance, and posting irrelevant information we've known for a few days, and to top it off, your name is Ken Anderson. You spammers really are getting good.